Winter
by ManCityFan
Summary: Disaster! After a vicious World War leaves severe apocalyptic conditions, two young wolves struggle to cope with the harsh new reality. As time goes on, the two wolves meet under strange conditions and are later choosen for a bizarre and dangerous mission. As lies emerge, Kate and Humphrey begin to question themselves. What will happen? Read to find out...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: If you don't already know what a nuclear winter is, please Google it.**

 **The wolves in this story are anthro!**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **(Humphrey's POV)**

I awoke to the sound of my alarm clock, quickly turning on my side as I shut it off. I rubbed my eyes as I sat upright on my bed. After a few moments of just staring into space, I got up and walked over to my small apartment's only window. I stopped a few inches away, sighing as I opened the window curtains.

The sight was the same as always; snow covered just about everywhere, almost like a thick white blanket under the dark grey sky. Canadian National Defense troops, wearing full biohazard gear, were also constantly patrolling the streets, either by foot or by armoured vehicles.

I sighed again as I looked towards the thermometer that was mounted on my window. It showed the same reading as always, -3 degrees Celsius.

Everything was the same as always. Same sky, same temperature, and the same endless supply of snow. That's what really sucked the most, the fact that nothing new would ever occur.

As I stared out the window into the distance, I began to replay in my mind how it used to be before it all started. And I definitely still remembered.

I remember going to school, how I found it so boring and unbeneficial. I now understand how I took it for granted.

I remember the countless hours I'd spend hanging out with my friends. Now I'm stuck in this small apartment, allowed to venture out only once a day for no more than an hour. I don't even know what has become of my friends.

I remember the day the war officially started: The panic; the worried faces that surrounded me. The fear; not knowing what dangers every "New" day would bring with it. The blood, the many who lost their lives including both my parents and sister. Not one day goes by without me missing them dearly.

I remember the day the first nuclear bomb was dropped, and the many more that followed. All the people who lost their lives within seconds. Poor souls.

I remember when the nuclear winter started, and how it seems like it will never end. I remember when the sun vanished behind the infinite blanket of dust clouds, with it the warmth. The results were a drastic drop in temperature, and no sunlight meaning no crops could grow. Food rations are now handed out once a day by the National Defense. It's not much but it's enough to keep us going.

I remember the day I was brought to quarantine zone JC2.

Since Jasper City was relatively unaffected by the war, the government decided to divide the city into four separate quarantine safe zones: JC1, JC2, JC3 and JC4. All of which are surrounded by tall fences and constantly patrolled by the military. I remember hearing rumors that Montreal and Toronto were both destroyed, and that half the US was also gone. Other rumors say that major parts of Europe and Asia were reduced to nothing more than piles of rubble and debris. Information like this only passes through rumors since the military never releases any updates or information about the situation in the outside world. In fact, the only information they ever have released is that the government, rather what's left of it, is working on the situation and that they would update us further at a later time. They never did.

Life in the safe zone sucks. We're only permitted to leave our homes once a day. Due to the extreme temperatures and radiation level, we must wear protective clothing and gas masks while we're out, and we're only allowed one hour of exposure time, any more would be deadly. Well, that's what they've told us. We're also limited to one hour of electricity use daily. Water usage is no different. The only somewhat "fun" thing about living in the quarantine zone is that every day at 5 pm the National Defense troops go from house to house and pick up residents in an armoured bus, and drive us to an auditorium conveniently located within the safe zone. If I remember correctly, the auditorium used to belong to a nearby school. Inside the auditorium is our only form of "entertainment". We try to socialize and play board and table games, but besides an occasional movie from time to time, that's pretty much it. At 6:30 pm sharp, we once again load ourselves onto the bus and are dropped off back at our homes.

That's how it's been pretty much every day for the past 3 years that I've been a resident of the safe zone.

And last but definitely not least, I remember Kate. She was my childhood best friend. We would spend countless hours in each others company, both at school and after. It's been almost four years since I've last seen her, but I can still remember her beautiful figure and even more beautiful smile. Her smile never failed to cheer me up, even during my darkest moments, and I've had quite a few of them. I can only imagine where she is now. Is she dead? No. It can't be. I remember her simply being too strong, both physically and mentally. She's definitely alive...but where? Now that's a different question. The chances of me ever seeing her again? Close to none...though I'm not going to lose hope any time soon. The hope fueled by small chance the I _might_ see her again.

I finished my thoughts and sighed for the third time. Although those memories were full of pain, I enjoyed them. They helped me clear my mind.

I slowly looked down at my watch. It was now 7:15 am. I'd be receiving my daily food ration in a quarter hour. I walked away from the window and looked at my calendar, checking the date. I almost smiled as I realise that my 17th birthday was in exactly two months from today. Not that it matters though, birthdays have all but lost their meaning. Just another year of life in this never ending apocalypse.

A few minutes had passed and I finally heard a knock at my door. I almost stumbled over a book as I rushed to open it. I slowly opened the door, revealing a tall soldier wearing a camo biohazard suit, and as expected, a gas mask. He walked inside as I closed the door behind him. He removed his gas mask, revealing that he had grey fur, just like mine. In his hands were a box holding two MRE's and a few bottles of water. He handed them to me and and I thanked him. He gave me a nod as he put his mask back on, turned around and walked out into the snow covered street.

I yet again closed the door and walked towards my small table. I set the box on the table and opened it. I took out one of the two MRE's and ripped it open. It was the typical beef stew and rice, not much but it's packed with calories. I quickly prepared it by adding water to the small packet and sat down to eat.

After I had finished my "meal", I walked back over to my bed and collapsed onto it. I really had nothing to do until 5 pm. I guess I could read or something, but I find reading boring. I decided my best option would be to simply shut my eyes and try to fall asleep. And that's exactly what I did.

 **(Kate's POV)**

I awoke suddenly as the bus we were currently traveling in skipped over a pothole. I rubbed my eyes and took in my surroundings. My sister Lily was asleep in the seat besides me, and both our parents were seated behind us.

That's when I remembered where we were heading.

We were currently on our way along with an additional 20 people to quarantine zone JC2. We were forced to leave our previous safe zone, quarantine zone JC4, due to overcrowding.

The bus suddenly came to a stop at the side of the road, and a female soldier stood up and turned to face us.

She cleared her throat loudly, "ladies and gentlemen, your attention please" she said. I quietly nudged Lily until she finally awoke, as the female soldier continued speaking.

"As you all already know, we're heading to quarantine zone JC2" she said, looking around before continuing. "It's now 4:45 pm, we should be arriving in about 15 minutes. When we get there, we will drop you off at an auditorium located within the safe zone. There you will meet the rest of the quarantine's residents, get to know them, they're to be your new neighbors.

Any questions?". The soldier scanned the bus, and after realizing that no one had anything to ask, she finally sat down as the bus continued onwards.

I turned to face Lily, she seemed worried.

"Hey Lily, are you ok?" I asked her. She nodded.

"I'm just a bit nervous. I hope the people there are nice" she said, a slight smile on her lips. I smiled at her before turning my head towards the window. What Lily had said got me thinking.

I really missed my old friends. I sighed as memories of all the fun we had flooded my mind. The memories that hurt the most were the ones of me and Humphrey. I miss him so much. He was the best friend anyone could ask for; we had so much fun together. I wonder almost every day what has become of him. I remember him being a very strong willed wolf, and there's no doubt in my mind that he's alive. The real question is where is he? I don't think I'll ever know…

All I'm hoping for is a new start, and with any luck, I'll meet some nice new people.

 **(Humphrey's POV)**

For the second time today I was awoken by my annoying alarm clock. I slammed it off and looked at the time. It was now 4:40 pm, meaning I have 20 minutes to get ready before the bus arrives.

I yawned as I got up, heading to the sink to wash my face. I shivered as I did so, the water along with everything else was just so cold.

Minutes later I zipped up my protective gear as I waited for the bus to come. Merely a few seconds later, I heard it pull up outside my house before sounding its horn. I quickly grabbed my gas mask, putting it on as I made my way to the bus and hopped in.

About ten minutes later we finally arrived at the auditorium as we all crowded in through the doors. We all took a seat as the commander of our safe zone rose to address us. After everyone finally fell quiet, he opened his mouth to speak.

"Hello to you all, today is going to be different than usual". He took a long breath before continuing, "we are receiving 24 new residents who are all coming from quarantine zone JC4. They are being dropped off here directly, it'll give you all a chance to meet them. I ask that you all treat them with warmth and accept them nicely. That's all".

As he finished addressing us, some headed towards the billiard tables and some just talked with each other. I never really enjoyed socializing with them. I knew none of them, and they all pretty much knew at least someone. I was pretty much a loner here. It's been that way forever and just like everything, it will probably always be that way.

 **(Kate's POV)**

We finally arrived at the safe zone's gates. They quickly opened as the bus continued inwards.

About a minute later we pulled up besides a tall building which I'm assuming is the auditorium. The female soldier once again rose from her seat and yet again cleared her throat. "OK everyone, we have arrived. Please put your masks on. The entrance is straight ahead" she said.

We all put our masks on and stepped off the bus and onto the snow covered ground. We all quickly made our way to the auditorium's two doors, entering one by one. After we stepped in, I removed my mask and set it down on a nearby table. I glanced at Lily who was right besides me, she still had that worried expression on her face.

I turned around to see mom and dad walking towards us. We ran towards them, hugging them both.

"Now Kate, take Lily and go meet new people. They are our new neighbors" dad said.

I nodded and grabbed Lily's hand and ran into the crowd.

I noticed that members of our group were already socializing with everyone else. I smiled at this. They all seem really nice and seem to have accepted us well. As I was looking into the distance, something, rather someone, caught my attention.

He was an average height wolf who had beautiful grey fur and a black mane. _Strange_ , I thought to myself, _he almost looks like...wait, no! It can't be...is that...Humphrey?!_

As I snapped out of my thoughts, I realized I was running at full speed towards him. As I reached him, I stopped for a second before tapping his shoulder. He turned around, and that's when everything seemed to freeze.

It was Humphrey…It was Humphrey!

I'd know that face anywhere!

"H-Humprey?" I managed to wheeze out, my voice trembling.

That's when he froze as his jaw dropped. He just started at me with his ice blue eyes. He was clearly beyond shocked.

"K-Kate"?!

 **A/N:**

 _ **Hey guys! What did you think? Let me know in the comments, I'd appreciate it. I welcome constructive criticism!**_

 _ **Please fav, follow and review. It'll motivate me to continue updating.**_

 _ **Until next time!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**(Humphrey's POV)**

I was still seated in my seat when I noticed the first newcomers slowly entering the auditorium. I quickly got up, making my way towards the crowd. As I neared the large crowd, I noticed that my fellow safe zone neighbors were already conversing with the new arrivals.

I stopped a few feet away from the crowd that had gathered, and quickly decided that I too should do my best to welcome them.

But before I could make my way over towards the crowd, something stopped me dead in my tracks.

A tap on my shoulder.

I quickly spun around to face whoever it was who seeked my attention, and that's when all my muscles went stiff as I froze.

Standing before me with a surprised yet excited look on her face, was none other than _Kate._

I was overcome with emotion and shock as I just stared at her in my frozen state, my ice blue eyes pouring into hers. It had been four years since I'd last seen her, and I hadn't had much hope of seeing her ever again. Yet here she was! It had to be her...right? I'd know that beautiful face anywhere…

I snapped out of my thoughts as she finally broke the silence, her voice almost trembling as she spoke.

"H-Humphrey"?

There was no longer any doubt in my mind that that she was Kate. I was beyond shocked. I had so many questions, so many things to tell her, yet I only managed to wheeze out one single word:

"K-Kate"?!

The second I said her name, her face instantly lit up as she drew me into a tight embrace.

"Humphrey"! She said as she let go of me, "I...I can't believe it's you! It's been so long! I missed you so much…"

I didn't answer her right away, I was still too shocked to do so. I was still busy taking it all in. The fact that my long lost best friend was now standing right before me was almost too much to handle.

I looked up towards her face. Thick tears were slowly streaming out of her beautiful eyes, she too was clearly overcome with emotion.

"H-Humphrey? Are...are you OK"? She asked.

"Yeah Kate, I'm fine. It's just that I thought I'd never see you again. I missed you so much!" I answered her, tears were now present in my eyes as well.

She hugged me tightly again.

"It's OK, Humphrey. All that matters is that we finally found each other. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you!" she said.

"Same here, Kate. You have no idea how much I've missed you" I said.

We then just stared into each other's eyes, a wide smile present on both of our lips.

"Humphrey!"

Whoever shouted my name this time was not Kate. I turned myself towards the yell, and quickly noticed a snow white wolf running towards me.

It was Lily! Boy has she grown…

She was so big now! She had grown to be quite beautiful too.

As she reached me, she wasted no time as she drew me into an even tighter hug.

"Humphrey! I can't believe it's you! It's been so long. You have no idea how much Kate missed you… how much I missed you!" she said, a wide smile on her lips.

"Actually, Lily, Kate kinda already told me how much _she_ missed me. But I'm glad to hear that someone else missed me too" I said, causing both Lily and Kate to let out a slight chuckle.

"Well, Humphrey, we need to bring you to our parents! I'm sure they'll be just as shocked to see you as we were…" Kate said.

I nodded slowly as Kate took my hand and led me through the crowd. After about a minute of searching we finally found her parents, who were busy talking amongst themselves.

"Mom! Dad!" Kate yelled, "you won't believe who we've found"!

Kate's parents quickly glanced towards us, they're jaws dropping open as they noticed me.

"Hello Mr. And Mrs. Smith!" I said as we reached them.

"Humphrey? Is that you?" Kate's dad finally asked.

"The one and only!" I answered jokingly.

"Well it's nice to see that you're alive and well, Humphrey. It's been a long time, we all missed you" kate's mom said with a warm smile.

"thanks, Mrs. Smith. It definitely has been a long time. I'm so glad to see you all!" I said.

"Humphrey, my dear, please just call me Eve. So, tell us, how are your parents and sister doing? Are they around?"

 **(Kate's POV)**

The second Mom asked about his parents, Humphrey's smile instantly varnished and was quickly replaced by a look of sorrow and pain. My jaw dropped as I quickly understood the meaning of his facial features.

"Oh god… please don't tell me it's true…" Mom said as she too understood the meaning of his sad look.

We all looked towards Humphrey. He hadn't moved a muscle since Mom had asked him about his parents.

After a few long moments he looked up at us before finally speaking.

"Yes, it's true. My parents and sister are dead".

I hugged him tightly and could clearly tell that he was quietly sobbing. Looking over my shoulder, I noticed that Mom was also crying. Humphrey's Mom was her closest friend.

I then glanced at dad, who was rubbing Mom's hand in an attempt to comfort her. He wasn't crying, yet he had a pained look on his face. He, too, was very close with Humphrey's Dad.

Lily who was standing right next to dad, was crying quietly. Humphrey's sister, Heather, was her best friend.

I hugged Humphrey tighter. I felt really bad for my family members, they had all lost close friends. At least my best friend, Humphrey, had survived.

Many long moments later, Dad finally broke the silence.

"I'm so sorry, Humphrey. We will all miss them dearly".

"It's OK. I'm kind of used to them not being around any more. It can get rather boring sometimes" Humphrey said.

I smiled at the last part. Even in sad moments like this he still manages to lighten the mood with his jokes. That's the Humphrey I remember and love. Wait… did I just say love?

"So, Humphrey, do you live alone? Or do you have a roommate or something" Mom asked.

"Nope, I live alone. Have for four years" He answered her.

Mom and dad whispered to each other momentarily. When they finished Mom looked back towards Humphrey.

"Well, Humphrey, now that's no way to live" Mom said, glancing quickly towards dad before continuing.

"Look, as you know we just got here and don't know anything regarding housing yet, but me and Winston have decided to let you live with us. I'll request from the people in charge to let you live with us, and to grant us a house with an additional room. I'm sure they'll agree".

Me and Lily squealed with joy as Mom finished. I couldn't believe it! First I'm finally reunited with Humphrey after so many years, and now Mom and Dad let him live with us! Can this day get any better?!

"Thanks so much, Eve, but it's OK. I've lived on my own for years and can handle myself. I really don't want to be a bother" Humphrey said.

 _Come on, Humphrey_ I thought to myself, _you've been alone for too long! Let us help you heal!_

I had to say something.

"Humphrey, we totally know that you can handle yourself. That's not the point. You've been alone for too long. We all care for you and would love for you to live with us! I'd love for you to live with us… you definitely won't be a bother! " I said.

I looked towards Mom and dad. They were smiling as they nodded at me.

I then looked back towards Humphrey, he seemed to be deep in thought. Lily was biting her nails as she also desperately awaited his answer.

 _Please, Humphrey. Please say yes_ … I thought.

After what seemed like forever, he finally looked up at us. I noticed that he now had a wide smile on his lips, I just hopped that was a good sign.

"You know what? You guys are right. I have been alone for far too long. I'd love to live with you" Humphrey said.

Me and Lily squealed and as we ran over to him, hugging him yet again.

"Great! We're so glad you agree" Mom said, "I'll go speak with the housing manager".

 **(Humphrey's POV)**

Me and Kate had been taking for about twenty minutes before Eve finally returned.

"OK everyone, listen up" she began, "I spoke to the right people, and they agreed to let Humphrey stay with us. They don't currently have an available house with an additional room for Humphrey, so he'll have to share a room with Kate. If, of course, that's OK with you Kate".

I looked slowly looked towards Kate just in time to see her nodding happily.

Something didn't make sense, though. I remember Eve being a very protective mother, so how is she totally OK with me and Kate sharing a room?

 _Oh well_ I thought, _I guess desperate times call for desperate measures._

I looked up at the big clock which was mounted on the auditorium's wall. It was now 6:25 pm.

"Speaking of which" I said, "it's now 6:25. In five minutes a bus will pick us up from here and drop us off at our new home. Wherever that is".

Kate's Dad nodded.

"Thanks, Humphrey" he said. "You'll have to teach us the new system later".

 **(Kate's POV)**

We waved to the driver as we all quickly exited the bus, stepping onto the snow covered sidewalk. I watch as the bus sped away to its next drop off point, leaving a trail of dark smoke behind as it did so.

The bus had dropped us off near a decent sized house. Mom led us up the stairs towards the door. She then reached into her purse and took out the house keys that's she'd received, unlocking the door as we all stepped in.

Dad shut the door behind us and we all unstrapped our gas masks, placing them on the nearby kitchen table.

Mom then turned around to face us.

"This house has three bedrooms, me and Dad will take the master bedroom. Kate, you and and Humphrey get the room to the left of the master bedroom. Lily, you get the room to the right" Mom said.

We all nodded as I quickly grabbed Humphrey's hand and led him upstairs. As we reached the top of stairs, we quickly noticed our room.

The room was by no means big, but it wasn't small either. I guess you could say it was a perfect size. Inside were two beds and a small desk with a chair.

"Kate, you can choose a bed first. I don't really mind which when I get" Humphrey said.

I smiled at him as I let go of his hand.

"Such a gentleman. I'll take the bed on the right".

We then both sat down on our beds. Now that I had been reunited with Humphrey, I was curious as to what he'd endured in the past four years. He must have quite an interesting story to tell.

"So, Humphrey, get me up to date. We have a lot to catch up about. Do you mind telling me what's happened to you in the past four years? " I asked.

Humphrey sighed and looked down towards the floor. He's clearly been through a lot of pain.

I was about to tell him that if he didn't need to tell me if he didn't feel comfortable, but he cut me off before I could do so.

"well… " he said.

"Where do I start"?

 **A/N:**

 **Well guys, what did you think? Let me know in the comments. Please fav, follow and review! It's free! I assure you…**

 **It also motivates me to continue the story, so I hope you can take a minute to do so.**

 **Until next Time...**

 **Bye!**


	3. Chapter 3: Faults in the System

**(Kate's POV)**

Sitting upright on my bed, I listened to Humphrey as he spent the past hour doing his best to recap his life's events in the past four years. I listened as he poured out all the pain that had been sitting on his heart. From what I was able to understand, he had never succeeded in coming to terms with losing his parents and sister. He explained how lonely he had been in the past four years. He really had no one, no family members or friends alike.

As Humphrey finished, he just looked at me, his beautiful ice blue eyes piercing my amber orbs.

"Kate"?

"Yes, Humphrey. Is everything alright?" I said, giving him a smile as I answered him.

At this he simply lowered his head and stared at the floor. As I eagerly awaited his answer, he finally raised his head to face me.

"It's...it's just that for the past for years, I had no one! I would be lying if I said that I didn't start to question it all; to ask myself what meaning my life had".

Humphrey slowly lowered his head to face the wooden floor yet again, sighing deeply before continuing.

"You see, when you're all alone, your life seems meaningless. If you were to die right there and then, nobody would even know or care. Now, I have to admit, what kept me going was the thought of seeing you again, Kate. And now that I have you and your family, my life suddenly feels meaningful. You have no idea how important it is to know that you're cared for".

He then raised his head back up to face me. He now had a wide smile on his lips, his eyes almost seemed to be glowing.

"I'm so glad I found you guys, I feel alive again. You and your family are all that I have left. You all mean so much to me... _you_ mean so much to me".

The second he finished his sentence, I leaped up and drew him into a tight and meaningful embrace. As he rested his head on my shoulder, I could feel his hot tears slowly dripping onto my shoulder. The past four years must've been hell for him, he truly didn't deserve to be put through such harsh situations.

It didn't matter, though. The past is in the past, and now that I'm here with him, that's exactly what I planned to do. To help him put his pain and suffering filled past behind him, and work towards a much better future.

"Kate! Humphrey! Come downstairs please".

It was my mom, probably calling us for dinner.

"well, Humphrey. It seems that we're needed downstairs" I said as I slowly got up.

Humphrey nodded as he too got up as we made our way to the stairs.

 **(Humphrey's POV)**

As we reached the bottom, I noticed that Lily was already seated at the table. Eve was in the kitchen, most likely finishing up the food, which I have to admit smelled quite good. Winston then came down the stairs and took a seat at the head of the table, followed by Eve who came out of the kitchen holding a pot.

Eve set the pot down on the table and motioned for us to take a seat. As Kate and I took a seat, Eve went around the table, serving us from the contents of the pot which was basically the typical MRE beef stew. We all ate in silence until Winston spoke.

"So, Humphrey. Do you mind explaining to us how the system about the system here"?

I wiped my mouth with a napkin and quietly cleared my throat.

"Well, the system is basically pretty much the same every day. We get our daily food rations at 7:30 am, we get taken to the auditorium from 5 pm till 6:30 pm for what they call 'social hour', and we're each allowed one hour of exposure time outside, wearing protective gear of course. Curfew is at 10:00 pm. That's pretty much it".

"Well thanks for the info, Humphrey" Eve said.

"No need to thank me. It's the least I can do" I replied to her.

After dinner, Eve and Winston retired to their room upstairs, whilst Kate, Lily and I remained at the table talking.

"So, Lily, how have your past four years been?" I asked the snow white wolf sitting across from me.

"Well, to be honest, they've been kinda boring. After the war, I got separated from all of my friends. I really miss them all, especially... Garth" she replied.

I truly felt bad for her. She and Garth had been inseparable, just like Kate and I. I guess the war has taken its toll on all of us.

"Well, Lily, the war has been hard on all of us. We've all lost close friends. I've even lost family members, so I guess you could say that I totally understand your feelings. Now it's time we all move on and form new friendships. And who knows? Maybe you'll see Garth again. It's definitely a possibility..."

I turned to face Kate who was still sitting besides me. Her facial features were currently sporting one of her adorable smiles. Something I said must've cheered her up too.

"Easy for you to say, Humphrey. You and Kate found each other" Lily said as she hung her head, a look of sorrow on her face.

"That we did, Lily. And that's exactly the point! Humphrey and I also thought we'd never see each other again, but fate reunited us" Kate chimed in.

"Exactly, Lily. Just have hope. You never know what fate can bring to your doorstep".

Our words seemed to finally succeed in somewhat cheering Lily up. She even gave us a weak, yet meaningful smile.

"Thanks, guys" Lily said. "I really needed that..."

 **(Time skip: three weeks, Humphrey's POV)**

The past three weeks went by rather smoothly. Kate and her family were still getting used to the new system, though they seemed to be OK with it. With Kate's help, I was finally able to do my best to put my past behind me, and look towards the somewhat bright future that hopefully lay ahead. And Kate, being the social wolf that she is, even helped me make a few new friends! Additionally, Lily was able to pull herself together, and she too made some new friends of her own. Everything seemed to finally be falling into place.

I now spent my days mostly hanging out with Kate. We would once again spend hours in each other's company, just like the old times. We once again grew inseparable. From time-to-time we'd also hang out with our new friends; Salty, Shakey, Mooch, Candy and Sweets.

But mine and Kate's favorite activity by far, was when we'd often sneak out of the safe zone after the permitted hours.

There's a dense forest located behind the safe zone. I had always dreamed of exploring it, but was unable to due to the safes zone's fences. But one day as I was walking along the fence, I noticed a small hole that was just barely big enough to fit through.

Basically, almost every day after everyone went to sleep, Kate and I would gear up and quietly sneak out. We would then make our way to the fence, climb through the small hole and cautiously step into the forest, doing our best not to get caught in the process.

We would do so often. Kate and I enjoyed it more than anything. We both agreed that the fact they gave us only one hour of exposure time was absurd. We had no freedom except for that one hour, and even when we were out, we were constantly being monitored. That's why we'd sneak out; to install some more freedom into our lives. It felt quite good to break the system, to go against the rules, to 'rebel'. We would spend hours walking around the woods, simply enjoying each other's company. We'd only be out for a few hours, though. We simply couldn't stay out too long and risk getting caught.

I really hated the military. They had control over our every move, even our thoughts at times. They had us locked up in these huge, cage like quarantine zones. Why couldn't they just let us be free? I couldn't ever understand why it was so essential that we all collectively be 'herded' into these 'safe zones'. What are they 'protecting' us from now? The war is over!

And it's not even worth asking, since they never release any information anyways.

But most of all, I hate the military for never telling me how my family had died. I can still remember it all perfectly. That horrible night.

It happened just a few months into the war. I returned home late from a friend's house, only to be met with the most horrifying scene I had ever witnessed. My parents and sister had been quietly killed in their sleep. They weren't messy kills, either. A simple bullet through each of their hearts had done the trick perfectly. When the military investigated the crime, all they ever told me was that I had been lucky that I wasn't home. They gave me no further explanation, just that I had been 'lucky'.

Just thinking of this matter never fails to anger me. I deserve to know! I deserve to know why someone so desperately wanted my family dead.

 **(7:15 am)**

Once again, my alarm clock succeeded in waking me up. After I had shut it off, I rolled on my side to face Kate, who was still peacefully sleeping on her bed which was parallel to mine.

Getting up, I slowly walked over to her sleeping body and gently stroked her cheek.

"Kate, wake up" I said in a whispered.

She stirred slightly as she finally opened her delicate eyes and trained her gaze onto me.

"H-Humphrey? What time is it?" she asked tiredly.

"Good morning to you too, sleepy head. It's 7:15, we'll be receiving our rations in a quarter hour, and it's our turn to prepare breakfast" I answered as I continued rubbing her cheek gently.

She responded with a loud grunt.

"Ugh, why does it have to be us again? I'm just so tired…" she said whilst yawning widely.

"Well, if you really don't feel up for it, I don't mind doing it myself" I offered kindly.

"No, it's fine. I'll get up. What kind of friend would I be if I made you do all the work?" she said with a smile.

"A bad one, I guess. Now let's get moving. You know they don't wait".

With that she got up and walked over to her closet, quickly putting a shirt and shorts on.

She waddled towards me, and I chuckled slightly at her apparent lightheadedness.

"You ready, Kate? Didn't take you long at all" I said jokingly.

She punched me lightly on the arm. "Oh shut up. You have no idea how tired I am" she said with a chuckle.

"Hey! I offered to do it myself" I challenged.

"Whatever" she said as she walked right past me towards the door.

I watched as she suddenly turned around to face me, a sly smile on her lips.

"You coming, Humphrey? You wouldn't want to… uh… keep me waiting, would you"?

"Wait, so you're now waiting on me, huh"?

She giggled. "Are you still talking"?

 **(Time skip: 6:45 pm, still Humphrey's POV)**

The bus had just dropped us off at our house. We all made our way inside and took our masks off, setting them on the table.

We had already eaten dinner at the auditorium. Apparently, it was "community barbecue night", so a few of our neighbors prepared roast chicken and hot dogs. It was nice to finally eat real food instead of those crappie MRE's, but besides that, nothing else interesting happened.

"Kate? Humphrey?" Eve said, getting our attention.

"Yes, Mom?" Kate replied.

"Well, your dad and I are quite tired, and since we've already ate, we decided we'd turn in early. If that's OK with you, of course".

Kate looked towards me before replying. "No problem, Mom, we'll be fine. You guys go ahead".

Eve smiled. "Thanks, dear. Good night. We'll see you two in the morning".

And with that, she and Winston turned around and walked upstairs.

Lily then turned to face us. "Guys, I'm also pretty tired. I think I'm gonna turn in early too. Goodnight"!

"Goodnight, Lily. See you tomorrow… " I answered her.

And with that, she too disappeared up the stairs. Now only Kate and I remained downstairs. It was then that I suddenly got an idea.

"Hey, Kate"?

"Yes, Humphrey. What's Up"?

"Well, now that everyone is already asleep, I thought it might be nice to go to the forest now" I said.

She raised a brow. "Go now? Isn't it a bit early?" she asked.

"Well maybe it's a bit early, but who knows? Maybe going early will be more fun" I replied.

She thought for a moment before she spoke.

"Well, alright. I guess we could go now. But don't you think we'll be more noticeable? How do you plan on us not getting caught?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I guess we'll just do our best to go unseen. Just like always" I answered.

She crossed her arms. "Everything always seems to be so _simple_ to you" she said nonchalantly.

I shrugged again. "Well, that's because they just are. Listen, we're already in our protective gear, so let's grab our masks and get moving"!

Just five minutes later we were already halfway there, quietly treading through the snow in an effort to go unnoticed.

As we closed in on the fence, Kate suddenly grabbed my arm and quickly pulled me behind a large pile of snow.

I stumbled backwards slightly, though I was able to quickly regain my composure.

"What was that for?!" I asked her sternly.

She didn't respond, rather she motioned for me to look over the snow pile.

I slowly raised my head and peaked over the rim, just in time to see an army jeep pass by right in front of us.

I lowered my head and looked back at Kate, who currently had an "I told you so" look on her face.

I decided to be nice.

"Thanks, Kate" I said. "Didn't see it coming".

"Well luckily, you have me here. Now let's keep going. I don't want to need to save you… again" she said sarcastically, once again grabbing my hand as we continued onwards.

We finally reached the fence and I quickly located the breach. We both carefully climbed through the hole and ran towards the forest, and only stopped running after we were completely surrounded by trees.

The dense quantity of branches and leaves covered us like a blanket, effectively hiding us beneath them.

I chuckled loudly as I panted. "See, Kate? I told you everything would go smoothly" I said to her.

"so you consider me having to save your tail 'going smoothly'?" she asked with a grin.

I raised my hands in defeat. "I'm sorry, miss Kate. You're right. I'm forever in your debt" I said tiredly.

"Now that's more like it" she said as she took my hand in hers.

"Let's get going".

 **(Kate's POV)**

We had been walking for about half an hour, chatting amongst ourselves. I really enjoy being in Humphrey's company, the feeling is second to none.

Suddenly, I noticed a small metallic looking object poking through the snow. I tugged on Humphrey's hand.

"Look, Humphrey!" I said as I pointed towards the mysterious object.

Humphrey bent down and picked it up, wiping the snow off it.

"Well, what is it?" I asked impatiently.

"I dunno, Kate" he said, "I'm not exactly su-... Wait! I know what this is"!

I started bouncing in excitement. "Well, tell me!" I said in a demanding tone.

"Well, I learned about this device in class" Humphrey began, "it's called a 'survey meter'. Basically, it measures surrounding radiation levels, and…"

He never finished his sentence. He just stared at the device with a startled look on his face.

"Humphrey? Is everything OK?" I asked, growing more concerned by the second.

A long moment passed until he finally answered.

"It's… it's just… this can't be right!" he said, pure shock clearly noticeable in his voice.

I didn't understand. "What, Humphrey? What can't be right"?!

"The meter, it shows that radiation levels are completely normal! We're well in the 'green' zone!" he answered.

I was shocked. "But Humphrey… the war! It can't be that the radiation levels are normal! The meter must be wrong!"

Humphrey suddenly grabbed his mask and began to unstrap it.

I was completely taken aback by his sudden and shocking actions.

"Humphrey!" I screamed, "What the hell are you doing"?!

My concern seemed to fall on deaf ears as it was too late. By the time I had finished yelling, his mask was already off, his black mane swaying in the light breeze.

My heart filled with fear as I noticed him slowly taking a deep breath.

I just stood there, still as a statue, frozen in fear. But then, he exhaled, and began to take more and more breathes.

"I… I can't believe it!" he said. "The air… it's totally safe"!

I quickly snapped out of my trance.

"Are… are you sure, Humphrey?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"I'm completely sure, Kate. If the air had actually been contaminated, I'd be long dead by now" he answered.

I unstrapped my mask and removed it slowly. He was right. The air was completely safe. I kept breathing in the cool fresh air, I had completely forgotten how amazing fresh air was.

"Humphrey, what… what does this mean?" I asked.

He looked towards me. "It's quite simple, Kate. It means they've been lying to us… lying to us all along"!

I was once again dumbfounded. "What? Who's been lying to us, Humphrey"?!

"The military!" he spat. "There is no contamination in the air! There are no high radiation levels! The military has been lying to us, Kate. Can't you see"?!

Humphrey was right. They _had_ been lying to us!

"But why, Humphrey? Why have they been lying to us?!" I yelled.

"I don't know, Kate, but I'm sure as hell gonna find- "

His sentence was cut off by the sound of approaching rotor wings, which by no doubt belonged to a helicopter.

"Humphrey!" I yelled, "let's take cover! A helicopter is coming".

"No need, Kate!" he yelled back, "the trees, they'll never notice us through the trees"!

The tree tops were now swaying violently, making loud snapping sounds. The helicopter had to be close.

Not two seconds later, the helicopter flew over us. But that wasn't what freaked the shit out of me. What had me frozen in fear was the fact that the helicopter had stopped… right above us!

"What the hell…"? Humphrey whispered.

Suddenly, four brown ropes dropped from the helicopter, followed by many armed soldiers who slid down them.

In mere seconds we were completely surrounded, their guns all aimed towards us.

The commander slowly approached us, only stopping a mere few meters away. His rifle aimed and ready.

"Freeze!" he yelled.

"Don't move or we'll be forced to shoot…"!

 **A/N:**

 _ **So, what did you guys think? I worked really hard on this chapter compared to the previous ones, and I'm quite happy with the result. It would mean so much to me if you all could take a moment and review. Your feedback is priceless.**_

 _ **Also, if you haven't already, please follow and fav!**_

 _ **That's all, folks!**_

 _ **Until next time, bye!**_


	4. Chapter 4: Mission Revealed

**A/N: More reviews result in faster updates. Happy reading!**

 **(Humphrey's POV)**

It took me quite some time to access the situation at hand. We were surrounded by armed soldiers who all had their weapon's aim trained towards us. We had been caught. But caught doing what? Surely the military wouldn't go through so much trouble only to seize two runaway civilians. There had to be another reason as to their extreme and seemingly ridiculous efforts to contain us.

Kate let out a low pitched whimper as the commander slowly approached us, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Freeze! Don't move or we'll be forced to shoot!" the commander yelled towards us.

He didn't even need to ask. Kate and I were already standing perfectly still due to the fear and shock of the situation.

"Good!" the commander yelled. "Now place your hands on your heads and turn around slowly, I want your backs facing me"!

I looked towards the now trembling Kate. Her entire body was shaking, It really broke my heart to see her this way. I knew I had to calm her down.

"Kate, do as he says. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you" I whispered towards her.

She gave a slight and suspicious nod before slowly obeying the commanders instructions.

We were now standing with our hands on our heads and our backs facing the commander. I looked towards Kate who was still trembling, and then shifted my gaze over my shoulder towards the commander.

"OK, we have obeyed your commands. We are not a threat. Please just bring us home, we promise to never leave the safe zone again" I yelled over my shoulder.

There was a moment of silence until the commander finally spoke.

"Oh you're not going anywhere, son" he replied with an unsettling grin.

He then turned to face his soldiers.

"Alright soldiers, take aim"!

My heart skipped a beat, as I heard Kate release a whimper. Did he seriously intend on killing us?!

"You're… you're gonna shoot us?!" I screamed.

"Steady…"!

I couldn't believe my ears. They were actually preparing to shoot us!

"What the hell did we do?!" I screamed in a final effort to save our lives.

"FIRE"!

Time seemed to stop as a sharp pain instantly shot through my leg. I didn't understand. Why had they shot me in the leg? Had they missed?

As I slowly lowered my eyes down towards my leg, everything finally made sense. Sticking into my right lower calf, was a tranquilizer dart.

I slowly looked towards towards Kate, just in time to see her fall to the ground, unconscious.

It was at that moment that I too began to feel lightheaded. The world around me began to spin. I fell to my knees and slowly looked up towards the commander, who was now looking down at me.

"G-Go to hell…" was all I managed to say before everything went black as I fell to the ground.

 **(current time and location:** _ **unknown**_ **)**

I slowly opened my eyes, only to be blinded momentarily by the bright light that surrounded me. Sitting up and squinting my eyes, I noticed that I was currently sitting on what seemed to be a hospital bed.

"Humphrey! You're awake"!

Turning myself towards the noise, I noticed Kate who was sitting upright on a hospital bed parallel to mine.

"Hey, Kate. Where are we?" I asked in a tired voice.

"I don't know, Humphrey. I just woke up a few minutes ago" she answered.

I groaned as I looked around the room we were currently in. It was a small and very bright room, the only objects inside being these two beds.

As I continued to look around, I noticed a large grey door that obviously led out of the room.

As I was about to get up and make my way over to the door, Kate seemed to sense my thoughts.

"Don't bother, it's locked. I already tried it" she said.

I groaned again before collapsing onto the bed.

"Just great" I said, "first they knock us out, and then they bring us here! For what?! All we did was sneak out"!

Kate sighed. "I know, Humphrey. They obviously must have another reason for bringing us here" Kate said tiredly.

"I wouldn't be so sure" I spat, "this corrupt military seems to do as they please. They could have brought us here simply because they _felt like it._ Don't forget that they lied to us, Kate. They've sure got a lot to explain for themselves!" I hissed.

Kate just remained calm. She clearly didn't share my hatred towards the military, but I certainly had my reasons for hating them.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see, Humphrey".

Just as she had finished her sentence, the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard, only stopping once the person reached our door. What came next was the sound of fumbling keys as the person unlocked the door, slowly swinging it open.

As the door opened, a tall brown wolf wearing a white coat and glasses walked in. He was obviously some kind of doctor.

"I'm glad to see that you two are awake" he said as he approached us.

"Who are you? And where are we?" I asked in a slightly agitated tone.

The mysterious doctor simply smiled at me before answering.

"My name is Doctor Levine. Now to answer your second question, I unfortunately can't say".

I growled under my breath. "Why? Why can't you tell us?" I asked, growing more and more agitated by the second.

The doctor simply kept his cool.

"I'm sorry, young man. I'm simply not permitted to" he said, pausing for a moment before continuing.

"Someone has requested to speak with you two, and I'm sure he'll answer all your questions".

"Who is this person?" Kate asked curiously.

The doctor turned to face Kate before addressing her question.

"I've actually been sent to escort you two to him, miss. Now if you guys are ready, please follow me".

With that he stepped out of the room as me and Kate got up and began following him.

As we walked down numerous quoridors and walked by countless rooms, it quickly became clear that we were in some kind of military building. A few approaching officers dressed in military uniforms further confirmed my assumption.

"Kate, we're in some kind of military building" I whispered.

"Yeah, I realized" she whispered back.

As we followed the doctor, we finally reached a secretary who sat behind a desk, typing away on her computer's keyboard.

The doctor cleared his throat to grab her attention, followed by the secretary raising her head to face us.

"Sorry to bother you, miss, but the general has requested their presence" the doctor said, motioning to us.

The secretary typed a few words on her keyboard, looking at the computer screen before raising her head to face us.

"Go up to level 14, turn left at the end of the hall. Look for room B417, it should be on your right. The general is waiting" the secretary said in a low voice.

"Thanks, miss. Have a good day" the doctor said before motioning us to follow him.

Kate gave a question look to which I simply shrugged, as we continued on after the doctor.

We took a nearby elevator up to level 14, the doors opened with 'ding'.

We stepped out of the elevator and began walking down the hall, taking a left at its end.

We then started to search for room 'B417'. After about a minute of searching, the doctor let out a whistle, letting us know he had found it.

We slowly approached the doctor, who was standing next to a door labeled 'B417'.

Kate nudged my arm and pointed towards a golden plaque that hung next to the door. Squinting my eyes so I could see better, I again looked towards the plaque which had the words 'Intelligence General' written on it.

The doctor knocked twice and waited for a response.

After a few moments, we finally got one.

"Come in!" spoke a voice from inside the room.

The doctor opened the door and we all stepped in. At the end of the large room sat a military officer behind a large wooden desk. He was a middle aged man, dressed in a dark green uniform which was decorated by many medals. He was clearly of high rank.

The officer raised his head from his laptop to face us.

"Ah, you've made it. Thanks for bringing them here, doctor. That is all" the officer said.

The doctor nodded slowly before walking back out the door, closing it behind him.

Kate and I just stood still as we both looked towards the officer.

"Come now, have a seat" he said, motioning towards two seats that sat before his desk.

Kate looked towards me and I gave her a reassuring nod. We both slowly approached the officer and took a seat.

A long moment of silence passed before I spoke.

"Who are you? And where are we?" I asked in an annoyed and demanding tone.

"First of all, please lose the attitude, young man. There is no need for that" the officer replied nonchalantly.

I was now beyond pissed. Kate squeezed my hand in an attempt to cool me down, though it wasn't working.

"Well you knocked us out, and brought us here against our will. So will you please just answer the question" I asked, trying to remain respectful.

"Gladly" the officer began, "my name is General Mike Griffin. Regarding your second question, you're currently in a top secret military complex".

I wasn't satisfied, the officer who I now knew to be a general, had only partially answered my question.

"OK, general. But what is our location?" I asked.

The general gave me a smile before speaking.

" Unfortunately, I cannot release that information. The location of this complex is heavily classifieds. But let's just say that we're so far underground that we can basically avoid even the most efficient forms of detection" the general replied.

Again there was a long moment of silence until Kate spoke.

"Why have you brought us here?" she asked.

The general slowly rose from his seat and turned around to face the back wall. He just stared at the blank wall for what like ages, until he finally turned back around to face the pair.

"Now that is a good question, young lady" the general said, his gaze aimed towards Kate.

"Well? What's the answer?" Kate asked.

The general took a long deep breath as he once again turned around to face the wall behind.

"Now this may confuse you" he began, his back still facing then.

"You two were chosen for a top secret mission. This mission is dangerous and very challenging" the general said, turning to face us as he finished his sentence.

I looked at Kate. She was just as shocked and confused as I was.

"What… what do you mean? What mission?" I asked, confusion clearly present in my voice.

The general sat down in his seat and crossed his arms.

"Before I get into the details, I need to give you the background first. Now I'm sure you're both aware of the past 'World War', am I correct?" the general asked.

I almost laughed at the question. "Of course we're aware, sir. It was only three years ago. We've both lost so much as a result" I said.

"Good" the general began, "now listen carefully. The information that I'm about to pass on to you is top secret. It is for you two to know, and you two only. You are not to tell a soul, and that includes family members and close friends. Am I understood"?

If I wasn't completely confused before, I sure was now. All I could do was nod slowly as Kate did the same.

"Splendid" the general exclaimed. "Now this may come as a shock, so I'm glad that you're both sitting. You see, the 'war' wasn't even a war at all!" the general said.

I was now beyond confused. If it wasn't a war, then what had killed so many people?

"What do you mean it wasn't a war? What was it then?!" Kate demanded.

"A terrorist attack!" the general yelled, leaping up from his seat.

My jaw dropped open as shock spread through my body.

"what… what do you-... How?!" I asked, not even able to properly structure the question due to shock.

The general took a long deep breath, before turning his head to face us.

"About four years ago, a terrorist group composed of talented hackers and a private army managed to hack into every major country's nuclear arsenal. How they managed to do so is unknown. What they then did is simple. They caused these major countries, Canada included, to nuke themselves!" the general explained.

I couldn't believe my ears, this was almost unimaginable! I had to clarify if I had heard the general correctly.

"S-so what you're saying is that this terrorist group hacked into our nuclear arsenal… and caused us to nuke ourselves?!" I asked.

"Well, they didn't just do it to us. They also did it to other major countries such as the US, Russia, France, China and so on" the general answered.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This terrorist group had targeted us using our own nuclear bombs! And they apparently did the same to other countries.

"So, you basically lied to the public, telling them that it had been a World War that was responsible for the nuclear attacks" Kate said as she put one-plus-one together.

"Why? Why would you lie us?!" I demanded.

"Think about it this way" the general began, "how do you think the public would react if they were to find out that just one terrorist group is threatening the whole world?! There would be havoc"!

Deep down, I knew he was right, but I was still blinded by my hatred towards the military.

"OK, but how exactly are they threatening us now?" Kate asked.

"Another excellent question, young lady. You see, the attacks four years ago were merely round one!" the general exclaimed.

I was once again confused. "And what does that mean?" I asked.

"Since the attacks, these major countries succeeded in re-securing their nuclear arsenals using new codes and other complex algorithms. But that hasn't stopped them, rather it simply bought us some more time. According to our Intel, they are just weeks away from cracking these new codes".

The general paused for a moment, allowing us to process what he had said before continuing.

"Once they manage to crack these codes, there will be no stopping them. They will launch every nuclear bomb in those countries' arsenals, until earth's surface is reduced to nothing but one big pile of ruble. They refer to this as 'round two' ".

All of this made sense, whether I liked it or not. Yet one question remained unanswered.

"So, what is this 'mission' about?" I asked.

"Your mission is as follows" the general began, "The only way to prevent this terrorist group from following through with their threat, is to take out their main hackers before they succeed in cracking the codes. And yes, by 'take them out' I do mean killing them, it is the only way to insure total safety.

Intelligence has located one of the major hacker's strongholds just north of Jasper. Your job is to sneak into this stronghold undetected, and take out these hackers before it's too late".

"But why have you specifically chosen us?" Kate asked. She had asked a very important question, though I hadn't thought of it.

"The reasons as to why you two have chosen are simple. Over the past few weeks, you two have demonstrated excellent stealth capabilities. Heck, It took us quite a while to notice that you two were regularly sneaking out of the safe zone. Basically, your excellent stealth capabilities combined with your swiftness and seemingly above average intelligences, make both of you perfect candidates for this specific mission" the general explained.

This was madness. First they lie to us for years, then they kidnap us and bring us here against our wills, and now they want us to complete a mission for them?! Ha! Not if I have a say in the matter…

"We may fit the description well, general, but I do not accept your offer. I will not allow myself to work with dirty liars such as yourselves. Your lies have gone on for too long! It's time to make the public aware of what we're dealing with!" I hissed.

I looked towards Kate. She had clearly been startled by my sudden outbursts.

"Humphrey, every lie or cover up that we have released was done out of the best interest of the public. It was curtail that we keep the truth from them, for their own safety and wellbeing. Now, if you too share the interest of the public's safety and wellbeing, you will keep this information to yourself. In time, you'll understand our motives".

"That is no excuse!" I replied coldly.

The general simply got up from his seat and once again turned to face the wall. After many long moments, he let out a sigh before asking me a question that sent chills down my spine.

"They never told you why they killed your family, did they"?

I instantly froze as I replayed the question in my mind. The general had just asked the question that had been haunting me ever since that terrible night. What disturbed me the most was the fact that he seemed to also know the answer. If the general truly had information regarding the reason my family had been murdered, I wasn't going anywhere until he told me _everything_ he knew.

The troubled look on my face gave him his answer.

"I'll take that as a no… " he said.

I was on the verge of tears.

"They… they never told me what happened. All they ever said was that I had been lucky that I wasn't home when it happened" I said, my voice trembling.

"I didn't think so. And at the time, it really was for the best that you don't know" the general said calmly.

Tears were now slowly forming in my eyes. I had to know if he knew what happened to them.

"W-wait… d-does that mean that you-"

"Know what happened? Yes, Humphrey, I do know what happened. And it's time that you know as well" the general said, cutting me off.

"And after I finish telling you exactly what happened that night, I can assure you that you'll change your mind about not accepting the mission… "

 **A/N:**

 **So guys, what did you think? Let me know your thoughts in the reviews. Your feedback is priceless.**

 **Also, if you haven't already, please fav and follow. It's free, I assure you.**

 **Until next time, bye!**

,


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